DO WE WANT THE BGCT TIED TO THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT?
By David R. Currie

As messengers to the 1996 BGCT annual meeting cast their votes for officers they will face a fundamental question: “DO WE WANT THE BGCT TIED TO THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT?”

Each messenger has the right and privilege to vote his or her convictions. On issues relating to religious liberty, there are clear differences between Charles Wade and Rick Scarborough.

To my knowledge, Charles Wade has not been involved in secular politics as pastor of First Baptist Church, Arlington, or as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He is clearly supportive of the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty and the separation of church and state. As a good citizen, I would be surprised if he has not been active in Arlington on issues that affect the community, but he has long championed religious liberty. He has joined traditional Baptists in opposing school vouchers that would give government money to religious institutions, and he has never endorsed a political candidate from the pulpit.

In contrast, Rick Scarborough is national chairperson for Vision America. He wrote an article in Jerry Falwell’s National Liberty Journal in March, 1996. In this article he said the quest of Vision America is “to restore America to her Christian heritage.” In this article Scarborough listed several persons who are supporting Vision America. Some of those names should be familiar to Texas Baptists: Paul Pressler, Jerry Falwell, Tim LaHaye, Ralph Reed, Adrian Rogers, and David Barton.

My friend Don Wilkey attended the Christian Coalition meeting in Washington last month. During the meeting, Congressman Tom Delay bragged on Rick Scarborough. Delay said Scarborough “took over the local school board, city government, county government, and was going to take over the state.”

I personally have deep concerns about those who seek to make America an official Christian nation and would deny religious liberty to non-Christians. History tells me this never works; it is not biblical; and it is morally wrong.

I strongly believe Christians should be active citizens standing up for morality in the public square. That is totally different than using government to benefit the specific beliefs of a religious group.

Texas Baptists have already experienced one embarrassing moment this year when a speaker questioned the Christianity of the President. With Scarborough, would we be in for more such comments?

So as messengers vote this year, ask yourself if you want the BGCT to be closely tied to the Religious Right? How you vote will answer that question.

October 1996